Learn How to Screen Print

Learn How to Screen Print

Learn How to Screen Print? Screen printing is easy, fun and cheap. You do not have to spend a fortune on the printing equipment or have to own a studio to make good prints. I was taught how I can reuse the old picture frames and curtains for making screens then burning them in the sun and cleaning them with a garden hose. The steps were easy to follow and since I enjoy doing printing the process was very educative for me. I will share some of the steps I learned and you will agree with me that this is a cheap and nice way to learn how to screen print.

The first step is to gather the materials that one needs to use, they include; the image that is to be used, to achieve the best image photocopy the image transparently using maximum darkness. One can also paint an image or draw it using a white out on transparent plastic. Your image on the transparency should be at maximum darkness since you want it to transfer to the screen and light should not get through. For subtlety and shading, one can use dots like a newspaper image. Other materials that one needs are, picture frames preferably wooden and ones that are flat on the front surface, and old curtain-gauzy and it does not matter what color it is, dark colored fabric and it should be big to put on the frame, staples and the staple gun or a stapler, photosensitive activator and good, an art squeegee, screen printing ink, a masking tape, old boxes such as cereal boxes, old newspapers to protect the surfaces being worked on, a garden hose and an old rag.

Separate the picture frames by removing the metal and glass bits, cut a big piece of the curtain and wrap it in front of the frame and around the edges. The fabric should be stretched and stapled into place. After the staples have been carefully been put in place the excess fabric can be cut off around the sides of the frame and one should ensure not to cut too close to the staples lest the fabric frays and becomes loose. Once you have made this screen, use the backs of an old notebook and pour the emulsion onto the screen, both sides should be coated and the excess emulsion should be scooped to avoid any drips, the screen is then left to dry in the dark. After drying the screen it is taken out in the sun and laid to face down then place the transparency on the screen and lay glass on top of the image. It is then left for a while and the sun hardens the emulsion. Any part of the screen that does not get hit by the sun will wash away. The process depends on the quantity of the sun that you have. By the use of the garden hose the screen can then be rinsed off. This can easily be done with a lot of pressure.

Separate the picture frames by removing the metal and glass bits, cut a big piece of the curtain and wrap it in front of the frame and around the edges. The fabric should be stretched and stapled into place. After the staples have been carefully been put in place the excess fabric can be cut off around the sides of the frame and one should ensure not to cut too close to the staples lest the fabric frays and becomes loose. Once you have made this screen, use the backs of an old notebook and pour the emulsion onto the screen, both sides should be coated and the excess emulsion should be scooped to avoid any drips, the screen is then left to dry in the dark. After drying the screen it is taken out in the sun and laid to face down then place the transparency on the screen and lay glass on top of the image. It is then left for a while and the sun hardens the emulsion. Any part of the screen that does not get hit by the sun will wash away. The process depends on the quantity of the sun that you have. By the use of the garden hose the screen can then be rinsed off. This can easily be done with a lot of pressure.

Learn How to Screen Print? Now the screen is ready to print, mask the edges then place the fabric on some papers to protect them from the surface beneath. The screen is then put on the fabric and then put ink along the top of the screen and well spread using a squeegee. The screen should not be moved in the process and it should be held down firmly. If the steps are carried out carefully one can achieve very nice prints.